A tortoise burrow can be seen the morning after a nightfall of light snow. desert.

Juvenile desert tortoises released in September 2012 at the Nevada National Security Site are making their way through their first winter in the wild. The tortoises were snug tight in their burrows over the holidays when temperatures dropped below freezing and a light snow fell.

As ectotherms (cold-blooded animals), desert tortoises must utilize their surroundings to regulate their body temperature since they can’t warm their bodies on their own. Only a few inches of soil are enough to buffer air temperatures to allow the tortoises to hibernate through the winter without freezing. In a few more months, when the air temperatures begin to rise here in the desert, all of our translocated tortoises should emerge to heat themselves in the sun.

Photo of the Month

Intensity

by Dwayne Andrejczuk

Twitter

Who We Are

San Diego Zoo Global is an international conservation organization that has been saving species for over 95 years. We are experts in scientifically based breeding, conservation, and reintroduction programs for endangered species.